Ulcers, sometimes referred to as peptic ulcers, are ulcerations of the
upper digestive tract. Ulcers are very common. Approximately one in ten
men and one in twenty women will incur one in their lifetimes.
There was a time when ulcers were thought to be caused solely by
stress and an increased amount of stomach acid. Research today has
shown that ulcers are not caused by stress, but rather by a bacterium
called Helicobacter pylori. A two week treatment of antibiotics will
wipe this bacteria out.
The latest studies have linked regular exercise to reducing the
liklihood of ever developing an ulcer. Researchers have studied more
than 11,000 men and women and found:
*Physically active men had one half to one third the risk of developing
a duodenal ulcer over 20 years compared to their sedentary peers.
* Men who walked or ran at least 10 miles a week were 62% less likely than inactive subjects to develop an ulcer.
*Men who walked or ran less than 10 miles per week had about half the ulcer risk as those who did not exercise.
Because the Heliocobacter pylori bacterium is found in half the
population of the world, scientists agree that other lifestyle factors
such as stress, smoking and alchohol abuse may still have an effect.
It's not surprising to see that exercise improves the risk of
having an ulcer. Exercise boosts your immune system, lowers stress and
in general makes you think about improving your diet as well as your
workout. Exercise also may reduce acid production in the digestive
tract. The positive data on lowering the risk for an ulcer have so far
only been confirmed for men.
About the Author
Lanny Schaffer, Ph.D is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of
The International Fitness Academy. For more fitness and health news go
to http://www.aerobic-exercise-coach.com
